The Chicago Blackhawks enjoyed some fantastic performances in their big series-clinching win against the St. Louis Blues on Sunday, but Duncan Keith might have had the best Game 6 of them all.

Not only did he put together a masterful offensive performance with a goal and three assists, he also provided his typically stout defensive support. Keith logged 6:26 shorthanded minutes on Sunday, making a big difference in helping the ‘Hawks kill all six St. Louis power-play opportunities.

Both teams’ head coaches certainly took notice.

From Blackhawks bench boss Joel Quenneville’s perspective, it might have been the best game he’s seen Keith play in the six seasons he’s been with the organization.

Q on Keith: "I’ve been around six years with Duncs, that may have been the best game I’ve ever seen him play." #Blackhawks

It’s more than reasonable to argue that this his Keith’s best season since he won the Norris Trophy. Blackhawks fans should be excited, too: the last time he played that well, Chicago won its first Stanley Cup in decades.

You posted the same tweet about Lidstrom, but, yes, I totally understand those comparisons. While no one is saying he’s as good as Lidstrom was, their styles are definitely the same. They both are fantastic skaters who use their smarts instead of brawn to make the right plays. Both contribute on offense and defense. Keith is definitely one of the top-5 defenseman in the league and even though he won the Norris several years ago he’s been underrated for a while, as people are usually quick to say “Weber, Suter, Chara…” when listing the best defenseman in the league. Keith is getting even better with age.

I agree and yes im a hawks fan but seriously with Kanr Teows Hossa and Sharp Keith gets lost in the shuffle sometimes as being a bona fide star but he is. He is elite and every game I watch him im so impressed with his defense. He’s no slouch offensively either but his d is amazing along with his decision making

@wineshard – stop acting like wakey wakey was the worst thing ever said on the ice. if people are going to be in such outrage about that comment then nbc should not mic up the players or you should mute your volume.

Keith is definitely right up there with Weber. I’d say it’s between those two for the best dman today. I’ve watched a lot of lidstrom and they definitely have a lot of similarities especially in just their decision making. They both seem to always make the right pass or do the right thing, whether it be taking the body vs. Poke checking, or just in simple positioning as far as when to jump up into the play and when to hang back. As an avs fan I’m not looking forward to having to go up against such a formidable top 2 dmen in Seabrook and Kieth.

Good hockey post – we need a lot more of “team independent thinking”. I’m a primary hawks fan, secondary Wild (full disclosure), but what I don’t do is either inane ‘Go ___ Go” on Yahoo game threads or troll onto othr threas unrealated to the Hawks or Wild and trash other teams.

What’s the point.

The only way we become more knowledgable fans is if we share our research/observations/experience, and apply it reasonably to current results/controvercies.

slysipops - Apr 28, 2014 at 11:45 AM

good grief! your comment sounds more like something from a physics class than that of a sports site. maybe you couldn’t cut the mustard there so your trying to show your genius here ? GO HAWKS GO ! ( < sports site stuff )

Get real! Nick Lidstrom is one of the top 2-3 defenseman of all time. Keith is one of the better players in present day but he’s no where near the legendary status of #5.

wjarvis - Apr 27, 2014 at 8:31 PM

I’m not saying this will happen, but most of Nick’s Legacy was generated after he turned 30, including all 7 of his Norris wins. If Keith can keep up his current pace until he’s in his 40’s then he’ll also be thought of as one of the best defenseman of all time. So you know just be the best defenseman in the league for another decade..

Lidstrom didn’t magically become a legend once he turned 30. He was the best in the game many years before that but was notoriously snubbed until the voters couldn’t ignore him anymore. He could’ve and should’ve realistically walked away with 10 Norris trophies, maybe 11.

Duncan Keith has nothing on Nick Lidstrom. Lidstrom is the best to play in his own zone, ever. I wouldn’t even say Keith is the best right now. That’d go to Weber.

wjarvis - Apr 28, 2014 at 12:37 PM

I used 30 as the example because Keith is 30 right now and is the favorite to win his second Norris this year. I agree that Lidstrom was fantastic before he was 30 too, but his legacy of being one of the best ever was due primarily to how long he was able to play at a high level. If Lidstrom had started to fade to being just another player when he reached his mid 30’s he wouldn’t be in the conversation of best all time. As you know he didn’t fade though, he had some of his best seasons after he was 35.

Keith has not come close to matching Nick, he’s on a HOF track right now, but not an all time great track. However, if Keith gets better with age, then he can start to make the comparison to Lidstrom more accurate.

That’s just what they’ve mentioned lately. When you think Lidstrom, altogether, you think about him being outstanding from beginning to end. How consistently he was able to do it game in, game out. Every year he played a full season he was the best in the league. Keith can’t even say that in his prime. The longevity was the cherry on top. Keith is the flavor of the month. When he has an off year and doesn’t win the Norris, and someone else does, people will talk about that player and what he’ll have to do to match Lidstrom.

He just doesn’t have the mind Lidstrom does. You can see it when he plays. He makes mistakes that get quickly covered up.

wjarvis - Apr 28, 2014 at 3:10 PM

Yes this is what was mentioned lately when Lidstrom began to be thought of as one of the best of all time. Lidstrom certainly doesn’t have a season that would considered one of the top 5 ever by a defenseman and I’m not even sure if he has a top 10, but he’s universally known to be one of the best ever. It’s because of his consistency and longevity that he’s rightfully though of so highly.

If you asked people in 2000-01 when Lidstrom was 30 who will be remembered as the better player Lidstrom or Pronger, I bet a lot of people would have picked Pronger who was only 26 coming of his Hart win. I’m also pretty sure you’d be yelled at if you tried to bring up comparison’s to Orr or Bourque.

^That doesn’t mean it’s wrong, it just means people are stupid. Sports fans aren’t exactly bright bulbs. Pronger was never anything close to Lidstrom. Look at him, he won a Hart and Lidstrom never did. That doesn’t discredit Lidstrom or what I’m saying, it discredits the way we vote and the Hart itself.

Something else to consider. Hitchcock was rickside for games with both, and reviewed a lot of film.

It may be that he has some insights you lack (I’m taking the high road – hope any responders do the same).

slysipops - Apr 28, 2014 at 12:11 PM

no doubt LIDSTROM was one of the best and no knock on him by me at all . his last couple of years in the league were successful because of his great knowledge of the game . today’s game is so much faster than 10 maybe even 5 years ago so comparing todays players against those of years ago is not the same. i remember when crowds jumped to their feet when BOBBY HULL made an end to end rush .it probably wouldn’t even look that quick in todays NHL . KEITH is not only very fast, but very knowledgable also . he is always a target for oponents trying to crush him on the boards and maybe get him out of the game. in the old time NHL those tactics ( part of LIDSTROMS era ) would have been met with a thrashing by the teams enforcer . that don’t happen in todays league. for some reason it’s okay for a player to get creamed on the boards with a chance for horrible results rather than some guy get a solid thrashing for doing so .WHY ?

wjarvis - Apr 28, 2014 at 2:30 PM

Lidstrom won a Norris the year AFTER Keith won his, so I’m not sure if I’d say he excelled in a different era. Clearly there was a difference in how the game was played between Lidstrom’s rookie year and last years in the league but his game was actually better for the post lock out years. Lidstrom would be a good player no matter when he played, I think Keith is probably the same way.

I am far from a Backes apologist. But what Keith said will haunt his career. Wait until StL plays Chi next year in a less meaningful regular season game. Keith may very well have to get into his second NHL fight.

Also, the garbage he was doing with his stick early in the series was shameful.

Talented yes, but lacking class as well.

wjarvis - Apr 27, 2014 at 8:38 PM

Pretty sure the Blues will be targeting Seabrook instead of Keith.

Also, I would be shocked if what Keith said was even close to being the most offensive thing said on the ice that night by either team.

The rest of this post is from the latest down goes brown grab bag but think it’s appropriate to bring up.

All of which means this is probably a good time for three important reminders:

1. NHL players are all jerks. Every single one of them. They are the worst people you can possibly imagine. I don’t mean when they’re off the ice — many of them are probably perfectly nice guys then. But on the ice, they’re beyond horrible, and in the playoffs, they get worse. Stop being surprised by this.

2. Related to point no. 1: If you use the word “classy” in any argument about hockey, you’re an idiot.”

Wait, so the Blues will be going after Blackhawks stars? So like what happens behind the play on most Blackhawk Blues games? Gotcha.

slysipops - Apr 28, 2014 at 12:23 PM

you must be writng this from a home for the mentally challenged? do you even see what your saintly BLUES pull ? how about OTT trying to gode HOSSA ( a guy who never does anything dirty), who laughed at him ? they used to say : …. show me i’m from MOSSURRA…… won’t work any more…. too many blinded people !

iamnot. Keith has a problem with retribution. In the case of the Sedin hit, Sedin tried to takeKkeith out a few minutes before going for Keith’s head, with the tragectory to also board keith’s head. All in the corner, after the puch went the other way, when Sedin thought he could get away with it.

Fortunately Keith was just able to avoid.

The he did a clueless “you total…” in center ice.

The NHL should have normally suspended Keith for longer, and they most likely realized Sedin had the 1st intent to injure assult in that period.

Did you see the game?

Selective memories?

comeonnowguys - Apr 28, 2014 at 9:11 AM

That’s a great way to describe it. His suspension against the Kings last year happened after he bent over to pickup his glove and Carter slashed at his bare hand. He swung in retaliation, and went way too high.

The Video title starts with “Don Cherry Comments….”
…the rest of you post is irrelevant.
Don makes comments to be outrageous simply to keep himself in the spot-light. Any one that takes him seriously has probably taken one too many elbows to the head.

Seriously, hockey needs a guy who will take Keith out. I’m talking one year to permanently. Reconstructive surgery. He swings his stick at my face, he’d better kill me because I’m going to find him and shatter his leg. Go ahead and suspend me, Keith won’t be swinging many sticks when he has to learn how to walk again.

There’s a quiet a few parallels between these Hawks and the 90’s Wings. Toews is probably the closest player I’ve seen to playing like Steve Yzerman did. Crawford can’t seem to get any respect, but he keeps winning, not unlike Chris Osgood.

Lidstrom compares only to Bobby Orr
Comparing some lucky to get 50 points, while not being the best defensive player on the planet to Orr and Lidstrom is foolishness. Half of Keith’s career has been filled with off years. Lidstrom had NONE until the final one.

martyks55 - Apr 28, 2014 at 10:13 AM

The quote was: “He’s got a lot of Lidstrom in him.” That doesn’t say he’s Lidstrom. It merely says he plays the game the same way and has a few of Lidstrom’s skills. No one said he’s as good, or better, or should be compared to… Get a grip. If someone said he had cat like reflexes, you’d start looking for him to cough up fur balls.

This is what I’ve been talking about for months. When the stage is big it’s the responsibility of the big guns to step up and play big. There should be no excuses for them not to. You’re expected to deliver when you’re amongst the highest paid of your team.

Saying there is some Lidstrom in Keith doesn’t equate to saying that Keith is another Lidstrom. One has to admit that yesterday he played a perfect game a la Lidstrom.

martyks55 - Apr 28, 2014 at 10:07 AM

Feel free to target any player you want… instead of playing the game. That’s how you end up without the cup, year after year.

The thing that amazes and impresses me about Ketih is his ability to keep pucks in the zone. Time after time, he made great plays on pucks heading out of the zone, and he kept the attack alive. That made all the difference in his best game ever. They should keep a stat for blue line saves. Keith would lead the world.

he had previously matched up against the other teams best lines before the swedish connection of oduya-hjalmarsson came to be. they are a purely defense first pairing and by strategically keeping keith away from first lines in favor of the swedish connection, he can contribute more to offense. maybe your sucky team should employ these type of strategies and they will win 2 cups in 4 years. so much sour grapes on this board ragging on a top 3 dman in the league for a couple slashes in a brutal playoff series. ridiculous